Diageo has come under more pressure over its plans to axe 900 Scottish jobs after unveiling profits of £2.02billion.

The drinks company said it had faced a "challenging" year, as profits dipped from £2.09bn in 2008.

A group, made up of politicians and Diageo employees, travelled to London yesterday to protest about plans to cut 900 jobs by closing the Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock and the Port Dundas distillery in Glasgow.

The campaigners, including former Scottish Secretary Des Browne, first visited Diageo's headquarters before going to the House of Commons, 10 Downing Street and embassies of countries where Johnnie Walker is popular.

Browne, the MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, said: "This campaign has reached a stage where real progress is being made to help save the home of Johnnie Walker whisky."

In an interview Paul Walsh, chief executive, said protests were "short-sighted."

He said: "I'm aware of the jobs campaign and am aware people are almost trying to dent the image of the ( Johnnie Walker) brand, which will not be good for the remaining employees.

"So I think it's very, very shortsighted.

"As tragic as it is for the employees in Kilmarnock who will lose their jobs, I have to look out for the well-being of the other 4,000 employees in Scotland and make sure we have a viable business going forward.

"The reality is that Scotch whisky's future lies beyond these shores, we have to penetrate new markets.

"The competitive stakes are high, the cost of entry is high and therefore we have to have a competitive offering. The plan we have put forward gives us that."

Len McCluskey, assistant general secretary of Unite, said: "Even in a global recession, Diageo can pull in billions of pounds in pure profit. Surely now Diageo's claims that it must cut Scottish jobs to reduce costs can be seen once and for all for what they are - about short-term greed, not longterm need.

"For 185 years, generations of Scotland's workers have delivered for this company. Their hard work has made this company extraordinarily wealthy and its products loved around the world.

"They deserve better than to be thrown on the scrapheap to slate Diageo's thirst for yet ever more profits.

"Ceo Paul Walsh may claim to be 'comfortable' with his plans to cut jobs, but there is a way forward where efficiencies can be delivered for the company without devastating Scottish communities by putting people out of work, and we urge Diageo to work with us now on this more socially responsible approach."

Harry Donaldson, Scottish regional secretary of the GMB union, called for Diageo bosses to take a pay-cut as a gesture of good faith.

He said: "I think some restraint by senior executives in tough times may well be an approach that would be welcomed by people who may well be affected by these proposals."